Oprah Winfrey book deal tops Clinton's $12m

Move over, Bill Clinton, your moment in the spotlight has ended. The former president's record advance of $12m (£6.4m) for his autobiography has been eclipsed by the chatshow host Oprah Winfrey, who has signed a deal with the publisher Simon & Schuster for a book about keeping weight under control.

The deal, announced at the annual Book Expo America in Washington, is claimed to be the biggest signed for a non-fiction work, though the amount was not disclosed. Winfrey now assumes her place above Mr Clinton and the former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan, who was paid $8.5m for his book.

The book, to be published in the new year, will be co-written with Winfrey's personal fitness trainer, Bob Greene, who frequently appears on her TV programme and has signed a deal with McDonald's to promote its healthy meal campaign. Greene is already a published author, with books including Bob Greene's Total Body Makeover and The Get with the Program! Guide to Good Eating.

Winfrey, too, is renowned for her literary endeavours. Her book club is credited with boosting reading and book sales, and her recommendations can make or break a book in the market. But her efforts have met some controversy: she endorsed and then withdrew her support for James Frey, author of the now discredited memoir A Million Little Pieces.

The deal comes at a time of gloom for US book publishers. Amid claims of plagiarism and fabrication, sales have fallen. One report released last week showed there were more new book sales in the UK last year than in the US.